What type are you?

This started this morning with a comment that I made on a post about working parents, children off from school in the summer, work/life balance, remote workspaces and being productive. I've been thinking about it all day and wonder how many people are gonna relate to the path that I took.

Before I get into the path, may I explain why I chose the image above and the title?

How come there's no category called "Do or Die". Aren't those the people that you really want to work with? I can understand that students may do an internship or an apprenticeship, but "freelance"? Why, because you don't want to commit? Full-time/Part-time? Is that all about how much you pay? If you hire me for 12 hours and pay me $X, but I lose track of time and work 2 hours extra and deliver more than you expected, are you gonna fire me? Does anybody punch a time clock any more? If you are on a mission to get something done or earn a specific sum, does it matter how long it takes if you are on a "Do or Die" mission?

OK. My path kind of made itself. Here's what happened. When I started my business, Mark was 10 and Matt was 7. Elaine was a nurse and typically worked from 7-3:30 three days/week, 48 weeks/year. We agreed that I would put them on the bus the mornings that she worked and be there to meet them in the afternoon on the days she worked. The school year was 180 days. So I decided that I would work around their schedule. 180 days between Labor Day and the last school day in June. Elaine also agreed that I would 2 days/week between the last day of school and Labor Day. For the most part, I did not work on weekends, school vacations and holidays or most of the summer. I was employed FT or PT, no contract, I worked for 200 clients/year on a "Do or Die" basis and sold the business in 2006. Since then, read my headline.

There are 168 hours in a week and many people work way to many of them at the wrong times.

There are way to many people doing stuff that they don't care about.

There are way to many people that would like to double or triple their income, but won't commit to "Do or Die".

BTW, if you don't know, my sons, Mark Roberge and Matt Roberge turned out OK.

So, two questions...

1. It's Labor Day, what will you "Do or Die" before Christmas Vacation?
2. Want to ask a question about how you can set up the next 20 years of YOUR life?

Do it!